Conventionally, an endoscope system is used as a medical system used in medical institutes or the like.
The endoscope system includes, for example, an electronic endoscope, a monitor, an endoscope video processor, a terminal device, a removable memory, and the like, and the endoscope system performs the processing below at the time of conducting endoscopy or browsing an examination result. At the time of conducting endoscopy, the endoscope video processor performs processing such as storing of an examination image obtained by the electronic endoscope, together with input patient information (information about a person to be examined), in the removable memory. At the time of browsing an examination result, the endoscope video processor performs processing such as reading of the examination image and the patient information stored in the removable memory and displaying of the examination image and the patient information on the monitor. Alternatively, a terminal device that has been mounted with the removable memory performs processing such as reading of the examination image and the patient information stored in the removable memory and displaying the examination image and the patient information on a display unit.
With respect to the endoscope system, the apparatus below is also known. The apparatus is an endoscopic image recording apparatus including a video endoscope, a monitor, an image control device, an IC memory card, and the like, and the image control device performs processing such as recording an endoscopic image obtained by the video endoscope, together with patient data, in the IC memory card at the time of conducting an examination (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 5-274377).
In the operation of the endoscope system, the removable memory in which the patient information has been stored together with the examination image is generally managed in such a way that a third party (persons who are not the persons concerned) cannot use the removable memory, for the purpose of the protection of personal information.